Founder - Dr. Kanaroglou

Dr. Pavlos Kanaroglou

Dr. Kanaroglou, 1948 - 2016, was a Professor Emeritus of Geography at McMaster University. His formal education included degrees in Mathematics (B.Sc), Computer Science (M.Sc) and Geography (M.A, Ph.D). He combined several years of industrial experience with academic teaching and research. Dr. Kanaroglou held faculty positions at Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Aegean (Greece) and McMaster University. He was the founder and director of the Centre for Spatial Analysis (CSpA) at McMaster. His research, funded by Canadian councils (NSERC, SSHRC), as well as ministries and municipalities in Canada, focused on sustainable transportation at the urban and regional level, on urban air quality and on the relationship between air quality and health. He was the principal investigator and participated in several national and international projects. He published extensively on transportation issues and was a member of the editorial board for several transportation related journals. Dr. Kanaroglou spearheaded the establishment of the McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics (MITL) designed to bring together the private and public sectors with academia for the development of relevant and high quality research in transportation and logistics.

We at MITL are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our leader and mentor, Dr. Pavlos Kanaroglou. It is a huge loss for our Institute, the School of Geography and Earth Sciences, the McMaster Community and far beyond.

In a long and distinguished academic career Pavlos mentored 13 PhD students, 32 Master students, 15 postdoctoral research fellows and taught thousands of graduate and undergraduate students. Many of his students will tell you that he changed their lives. MITL was a great passion in the later years of Pavlos’ life and in his last days he made it clear that he wishes for our Institute to grow, prosper and continue in its efforts to make important contributions to society. Thank you, Pavlos and we look forward to continuing on with your work.

Pavlos Kanaroglou
1948 – 2016
At the May 18 Senate, President Patrick Deane paid this tribute to Pavlos Kanaroglou:

It is with sincere regret that I share the news, which many of you are all too aware, of Pavlos Kanaroglou’s passing. But it is with sincere gratitude that I pay tribute to him as one of McMaster’s finest. For those of you who had the pleasure to work with and learn from Pavlos, you know he epitomized the true essence of all-things-McMaster during each and every day of the quarter-century-plus he gave to our University.
He was a genuine mentor, to which his postdoctoral fellows, PhD, graduate and undergraduate students can attest - many of whom will tell you he changed their lives. He was a creative leader, founding and directing the highly regarded and incredibly impactful McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics, advising industry and government leaders alike; and an accomplished researcher, recognized as a leader in his field both nationally and internationally, holding the Canada Research Chair in Spatial Analysis since 2002.
His loss will not only be felt across our campus but across the broader Hamilton community – a community to which he contributed extensively through his research and citizenship. His loss is immeasurable, but his legacy will live on through those he mentored, the friendships he valued, and the important contributions the McMaster Institute for Transportation Logistics will continue to make to society. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and students.